Daily Archives: January 25, 2024
Crabber who lost pots in Ilwaco fire thankful for donations, volunteers
Zeke Estrella survived a boat sinking in the Pacific Ocean. Estrella said Monday’s fire at Ilwaco Landing was worse. “We lost 570 crab pots,” said Estrella, captain of the F/V Sunset Charge. The fire destroyed thousands of crab pots stored on the landing ahead of the start of commercial Dungeness crab season next week. About 8,500 crab pots on the deck were surrounding the building at the time of the fire. Estrella said despite the losses, he expects to replace all of his lost pots by Monday thanks to donations and volunteer work from crabbers up and down the West Coast. Twenty volunteers showed up Thursday to his Ilwaco property bringing pots, buoys, and ropes. Video, more, >>click to read<< 21:55
Elderly man in hospital after being rescued from Wicklow river by local fisherman
A fisherman on board a trawler moored at Wicklow Harbour dived into the water on Wednesday to rescue an elderly male, who was witnessed floating face down and drifting out to the sea. The alarm was raised shortly before 2 p.m. on Wednesday after Alan Hegarty, owner of The Fishman located on South Quay in Wicklow town, spotted what appeared to be an elderly male being carried by the currents along the River Vartry at considerable speed. One person almost immediately threw a life-buoy into the water in an attempt to rescue the person, but they were unsuccessful as the man was unresponsive. Another person tried to pull the man’s body out of the water using a large pole but was unsuccessful. As he continued to drift towards the sea, a local fishing boat skipper took action, diving in to retrieve the man, with the help of his crew. more, >>click to read<< 20:33
More boats sink, roofs collapse, avalanche danger remains high as snowfall pummels Juneau
The City and Borough of Juneau put out a statement Wednesday that said avalanches have come down on Basin Road and above Behrends Avenue, the same spot where a slide occurred last week. A city official said that Basin Road is closed where it intersects with Eighth Street. Four boats sank in the city harbor early Wednesday morning, according to Juneau Harbormaster Matt Creswell, who said he is concerned more vessels are at risk of sinking due to the heavy snowfall. Creswell urged all boat owners to check on their boats immediately and clear off any snow they can. Juneau has seen over 28 inches of snow since Sunday alone and is up over 61 inches — or more than five feet — in the month of January. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 17:50
Humboldt Bay awarded nearly half billion dollar grant for offshore wind terminal
On Tuesday, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District was awarded almost half a billion dollars in federal grant funds to construct its offshore wind terminal in far Northern California. $426.7 million will go to the harbor district from the Department of Transportation’s Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects program. That program was funded through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. U.S. Representative Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, said he’s been pressuring the Department of Transportation to fund this major green-energy project. “I think this is gonna be great for the climate,” he said. “I think it’s going to be great for the community, and it’s going to be a gift that keeps on giving in terms of jobs, workforce development, economic development.” more, >>click to read<< 15:52
New Jersey Approves Two Major Offshore Wind Projects
The approvals were part of the state’s third solicitation for offshore wind power as it aims to achieve approximately 11,000 MW of offshore wind power by 2040. The developments are expected to bring significant economic benefits for New Jersey and establish it as a key player in the offshore wind supply chain. New Jersey’s offshore wind development strategy aims to secure the best overall value for ratepayers while safeguarding the environment and commercial and recreational fishing interests. As part of their commitment, the awarded projects will provide over $60 million for environmental and fisheries research, monitoring, and conservation efforts. The approvals come as the offshore wind industry faces challenges from soaring costs, high interest rates and supply chain bottlenecks that have forced some projects to developers to pivot their plans or cancel projects altogether. “Governor Murphy’s leadership is positioning New Jersey as a significant hub for offshore wind development,” said Said Anne Reynolds, Vice President for offshore wind at the American Clean Power Association. More, >>click to read<< 10:45
Lowestoft fisherman, 18, hopes to attract youngsters to industry
Alex Wightman said he believed there was still a future in fishing, despite government figures showing a decline in registered vessels. His family, from Lowestoft in Suffolk, have spent almost £300,000 on Alex’s boat; the Emma Claire. Father Steve Wightman said he also hoped more young people would get involved. Alex said: “We’re a dying breed but there’s still a future in it if you’re willing to work hard.” At nearly 10m (32.8 ft), the Emma Claire is thought to be the first new fishing boat in Lowestoft’s in-shore fleet for 20 years. photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:10
Petersburg Borough to join United Fisherman of Alaska
Petersburg will be the newest Community Supporting Member of the United Fishermen of Alaska, or UFA. That follows a unanimous vote by the Borough Assembly at their regular meeting last week. Vice Mayor Donna Marsh said she hopes the move will help boost the local fishing industry further down the line. “Commercial fishing is so integral to Petersburg,” said Marsh. “I think it would make sense to have the support of a professionally recognized organization [that is] also trying to keep that industry alive.” more, >>click to read<< 08:14
This N.L. fishing vessel endured stormy seas and heartbreak before it ever touched salt water
Sitting in a thick leather chair on the bridge of his newly launched fishing vessel this week, Matthew Petten has the look of a man who’s endured an ocean full of adversity. His eyes are heavy from a lack of sleep, many days of intense stress, and sadness over the fact that his father, noted Port de Grave fisherman Dwight Petten, is not at his side for a milestone moment in his life, the launch of what is likely the most expensive and largest fishing vessel ever built in Newfoundland and Labrador for the modern inshore sector. The impressive new craft is 27 metres long, nearly 10 metres wide, and weighs a stout 400 tonnes. It’s capable of holding 100,000 pounds of crab in refrigerated seawater tanks, has a million-dollar engine room, the latest electronics package, and can accommodate up to nine crew members. Video, photos, more. >>click to read<< 07:09
